1. WARNING: CONTAINS MASSIVE PLOT SPOILERS FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE SEASONS OF GAME OF THRONES

2. Lady – A Game Of Thrones

The first many, many bad things to happen to members of the Stark family, Lady is sent to the great kennel in the sky on Cersei Lannister’s orders as punishment for her fellow direwolf Nymeria’s attack on Prince Joffrey.

3. Viserys Targaryen – A Game Of Thrones

Poor Viserys meets one of the series’ grizzliest ends of the hands of Khal Drogo, who has a crown of molten gold placed on Viserys’ head after the Beggar King threatens Daenerys and her unborn child. Much ouch. Very death.

4. Robert Baratheon – A Game Of Thrones

The boozing and whoring King of Westeros is killed from injuries sustained in a hunting accident whilst chasing a wild boar. However, it’s later revealed that Robert’s accident was in fact caused by Lancel Lannister, who poisoned the king on the orders of Robert’s wife (and Lancel’s cousin-cum-sexbuddy), Cersei Lannister.

5. Eddard Stark – A Game Of Thrones

The first genuine proper “OMFGWTF??!???!?” moment of the saga, Ned’s decapitation on the orders of newly crowned King Joffrey sparks chaos in Westeros, and also firmly establishes George R. R. Martins undoubtable credentials for writing unpleasant and shocking deaths for the even series’ most seemingly untouchable characters.

9. Balon Greyjoy – A Storm Of Swords

A mysterious and slightly daft death, Balon Greyjoy plummets to an untimely end when swept off a bridge by high winds during a storm (though speculation abounds that he was murdered by mercenaries at the command of his brother, the pirate Euron Greyjoy).

13. Joffrey Baratheon – A Storm Of Swords

The splutter heard around Westeros, Joffrey gets his comeuppance when he is poisoned after his wedding to Margery Tyrell. His death is later revealed to be the work of Petyr Baelish and Margery’s grandmother, Lady Redwyne.

17. Shae – A Storm Of Swords

A far less sympathetic character in the books than in the TV series, tart-without-a-heart Shae is killed by her own Lion of Lannister, Tyrion, after everyone’s favourite sozzled dwarf finds her in bed with his father, Tywin.

18. Tywin Lannister – A Storm Of Swords

Uber-villain Tywin is killed by his own son Tyrion whilst sitting on the privy due to, well, an entire life spent being an evil maniacal megatwat (including ordering the rape of his son’s ex-wife, shagging his son’s ex-girlfriend, and allowing his son be sentenced to death after being wrongly convicted of regicide). NICE ONE DAD.

20. Gregor Clegane – A Feast For Crows

The Mountain That Rides eventually dies from the wounds inflicted from Oberyn Martell’s poison tipped spear during their dual, although many fans have speculated that he is in some resurrected form the giant later introduced as Ser Robert Strong.

22. Sandor Clegane (disputed) – A Feast For Crows

The Elder Brother of the Quiet Isle tells Brienne of Tarth that the Hound is dead and buried nearby. However, there are hints that Sandor Clegane may have just renounced his former identity and has chosen to live out a quiet, secluded life on the island.

27. Jon Snow (probably) – A Dance With Dragons

Ok, so he’s not definitely dead, and George R.R. Martin’s recent habit of resurrecting deceased characters means that nothing should be taken for granted. However, the final paragraphs of “A Dance With Dragons” suggest that everyone’s favourite base-born crow meets a sticky end after being stabbed by his fellow brothers on the Night’s Watch. Though it’s likely we’ll know nothing until the “The Winds Of Winter” is published in some as yet unconfirmed year in the future…